- Greyhound Homer

Suffolk branch of the Retired Greyhound Trust RCN 269866

DEC 2011 newsletter 8

www.greyhoundhomer.org.uk

finding forever homes for greyhoundsSuffolk branch of the Retired Greyhound Trust RCN 269688

Commitee memberschair:Sue Bruce secretary:Sally Baalham treasurer: Chrissy Balchindesign: Nicki Porterpr: Rowena Halland everything else: Kevin BaalhamLibby BrantonMurray BrantonBecky CarrPat CorySara Viney

Contactwebsite:www.greyhoundhomer.org.ukemail:[email protected]:Greyhoundhomer Suffolk RGTtwitter:www.twitter.com/Greyhoundhomerebay:Greyhoundhomer RGT Suffolktelephone: 01473 659866

ContributionsContributions, comments and suggestions are always welcome!

2012 Review

The last twelve months have proven good ones for Greyhound Homer; whilst there have been some challenges our volunteers and supporters have been fantastic.

Our aim was to continue to promote Greyhounds as pets but owing to changes in funding from the Retired Greyhound Trust we have needed to concentrate on fundraising as well. This meant raising our profile with the media.

We have to thank BBC Radio Suffolk and Radio Felixstowe for the opportunity to promote our lovely hounds and also the local and regional press for some really great coverage this year. A big thank you too to Gingerbread productions for the fab video they shot for us. Despite our reluctance to star, the hounds excelled themselves.

Our first show this year was the Easter Garden Show and All About Dogs Show. In a new venture for us we ran a show for Sighthounds on the Sunday and Greyhounds on the Easter Monday. Both proved really popular and were immense fun to do and a great learning experience. We were very lucky to have Julie Dennis and Roger Gregory providing their expertise as judges. Lucy owned by Jackie Leech won best in show went on to represent our branch at the Great Greyhound Gathering in Nottingham, doing herself proud by coming second in the best condition class.

This set the scene for a hectic summer of shows, almost every weekend saw us at a variety of shows, notable was our first time at the Tendring Show which proved very successful for us and directly led to dogs being homed. We also ran another smaller Sighthound Show at the Robin Hood Show in October.

The newly formed Suffolk Greyhound and Lurcher Support Group very kindly offered to organise walks for us and kicked off with a walk and picnic at Frinton, followed recently by another walk at Framlingham. We also organised a walk from The Greyhound in Ipswich who are sponsoring us this year, this walk which was featured in the Evening Star took us through Christchurch Park and the centre of Ipswich and back to the Greyhound where we enjoyed great hospitality.

Our quiz night was a real success and including some very generous donations raised a total of £2328.70. It never ceases to amaze us how hard our supporters work to raise money for us, from personal donations to running half marathons, arranging quiz nights and selling items on E Bay to David’s Rather Luffly Little Bookie to name just a few.

This year RGT have had to manage cuts to their funding stream and this had a knock on effect for all branches. Peter Laurie the new Director of the RGT paid us a visit recently. This gave us the opportunity to express our concerns around the funding cuts and also look at new ways of working with the RGT to ensure that we maintain the numbers of dogs we have available for homing. Peter was very complimentary about the kennels, the facilities on offer and how well the dogs looked. He likened them to the facilities that national organisations like the Dogs Trust have to offer. For which we have to thank all at Dillymore who provide such great care for our hounds.

Best of all this year has seen us reach over 100 happily homed hounds and for us this is the best Christmas present we could have asked for. It’s great to think that we have exceeded our total for last year and we look to continuing the upward trend next year.

None of which would be possible without the support and goodwill of yourselves. So it just leaves me to say a big thank you and to wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New year from all of us at Greyhound Homer.

Sue




I duz hopes that all me frends duz havs a luffly Crissmiss and I will sniffs you’s all agen soonies!

Lots of luffs,

DavidP.S. This year Greyhound Homer duz be’s helpings Santa Claws too! They duz havs fings wot sooper good hoomans and hounds mite wants for Crissmiss! They duz havs:

Coats: they’s hextra luffly for keepings houndies warm wen it duz be’s cold and wet like wot it duz be’s at Crissmiss!

Collars: Kitsch Collars wot duz looks sooper pritty ons me frends!

Mugs: wot you can drinks tee leff-dovers outs of wen you’s hoomans has finishedMe Ritings: wot duz be’s sooper hexciting, if I duz sez so meself!

Pens: So you’s can rite you’s crissmiss list to Santa Claws

Bandannas: like wot I duz wearings and they duz looks sooper smart mades by’s me own Hooman Nanny!

Woodbridge Walk

11 December 2011 1pm

Swimming Pool Carpark, Station Road,Woodbridge, IP12 4AUCar Park Charges: £2:00 for four hoursAll greyhounds and their chums welcome.Kindly arranged by SGALS

Live Music Night early 2012, Hollesley Community Centre.more details to follow

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

AND A MERRY NEW YEAR

TO ALL OUR SUPPORTERS

AND ALL HOUNDS!!

Dates for your

2011 Diary

David’s doings

It duz neerly be’s Crissmiss agen! I luffs Crissmiss becoz ofs the sosidge rolls and hams and turkeys wot duz be’s like chikin but more hooge! There duz be’s sooper lots of leff-dovers at Crissmiss and Hooman Nanny duz makes turkey soops wot duz be’s sooper luffly too!

Anyways, becoz it duz be’s nearly Crissmiss, peeples duz be’s buyings me booky as prezants wot duz be’s qwite strange becoz I did always finks to meself that wen we did ritings to Santa Claws that he did do’s buyings the prezants and he did do’s takings them to’s the peeples on Crissmiss Eve and then he did comes down the chimnie and did puttings the prezants in me big red sock and duz eatings the sosidge rolls wot we duz leeves out for him (if I duznt forgets they’s for Santa Claws and do’s eatings them meself on acsident). But Mummy sez that sumtimes there duz be’s too many good houndies to buys prezants for so sumtimes he duz havs to havs sum helps and we duz be’s helpings Santa Claws by’s sendings the prezants to’s him to gives to the peeples and hounds. I duz finks to meself that helpings Santa duz be’s qwite good becoz he will finks I’s be’d sooper good doings helpings him and he mite lets me sniffs him and buys me a reel wabbit!

So meself and me Mummy has be’d sooper bizzy wivs me bookys doings pawtographings and puttings them in pretty bags wivs me stickers on them and puttings them in henvelopes wivs me bizzniss cards! Then Hooman Nanny duz comes to our house and she duz takes them in a hooge sack and she duz takes them to where the red peeples is wivs the red vans and they duz takes them to Santa Claws to puts in the big red socks ofs all the hounds and hoomans wot has be’d sooper good this year! Mummy sez that duz makes us likes elfs and I duz luffs elfs! They’s me favrit! Sept I’s neva mets an elf before!

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How you can support us

We are always very grateful for any support that we receive, whether it is in the form of donations of money or items, or by giving your time or effort. These are some of the ways you can help:

• For the kennels old duvets & towels shredded paper dog treats unwanted leads, collars, coats and muzzles• We now have an ebay

account. We can either auction your donated items, or you can donate money via Paypal or you can donate a percentage of your ebay sales to us.

• Donation of raffle prizes for the events we put on during the year.

• We have business cards for when you are out and about with your hounds and people show interest - or posters to put up at suitable locations.

• We always love to see you at shows and events - nothing promotes greyhounds more than seeing a gaggle of them behaving perfectly!

When people have a midlife crisis they try to re-capture their youth. Our son finally left home ... house just recently fully refurbished ... garden spectacular - so with much deliberation we chose a ... FERRARI!! Well, the greyhound equivilent anyway ... verooooommmmmmm!

The last time we had a dog was when we both lived at home as children in the ‘black and white’ days! Could we manage a dog when we had only ever rescued cats, would we be suitable? Terry has wanted a Greyhound after seeing them at our local carnival 3 years ago. At the time we had a very old and much loved cat who would not have appreciated sharing our love. So when the time was right we started to look on the internet for information about re-homing a greyhound. We soon came across Sally and Kevin at Greyhound Homer and went along to a dog show in Suffolk where we met some dedicated and informative people who told us all about the breed, the organisation and importantly listened to us.

We received plenty of sound advice, met other Greyhound owners with their dogs and were impressed at the level of continued support that would be provided. We went home that day really excited….we had had such a fun day and met so many lovely people.

That night I announced that I thought we really should get 2 greyhounds…..I had seen how Terry had made such a fuss of these dogs that I knew I was going to have to book my time in for my ‘go’.Mmmm he was not sure – 2 dogs that was a big commitment.

So off we went to Dillymore Kennels … over excited we arrived an hour early.How would we choose a dog … would they choose us like the cats had in the past or would we take to one more than the other? We needn’t have been concerned. When we walked in we were told that there was a pair of greyhounds….A PAIR I thought how fantastic … an omen for sure. We took every dog out that day but we just fell head over heels with Blonde Button (now Buddy) and Blonde Snap (now Ruby). Button was a big blue boy aged three and Snap his jet black half sister aged two.

We came home, fenced off the garden and waited for Libby and Murray to carry out the home inspection. We did not get much sleep that night … what if we had missed a

gap? (large garden leading onto farmland) ... what if we were not suitable? (no previous dog experience) After a thorough but really enjoyable visit we had the news ….YES.

We have now had them for 4 months and have not looked back. They were so easy to re-home much easier than some of our cats we had in the past. They seemed to know that they were safe and settled in with no problems at all. We have been on holiday and boarded the dogs at Dillymore Kennels … so they had their holiday too. We have been to various dog shows and on dog walks which have been great fun and not to forget the exercise and fresh air! As a busy couple we now spend more quality time together, we are healthier as we walk twice a day and our lives are more balanced and relaxed.

Not forgetting the dogs of course … we think they are ‘living the dream’ here at Walnut Tree Cottage and we love them very much indeed. The affection from them is never ending and every day they bring something special to our lives ... both cuddled up to me as I write this! …so we are now one big happy ‘Pack’

As first dog owners the one thing that has astonished us is that we have met so many lovely people (and dogs!) locally and beyond. Everyone stops you as they know you have a story tell and this is ours so far.

When we first bought Buddy and Ruby home I bought a sign in a shop that summed it all up it read ...

... and they all lived happily ever after

And we did!

Jane Blanchard

Above: Buddy and Ruby snuggle up together

Buddy & Ruby ... the story so far!




Hounds waiting to be

homed!

100th greyhound homed this year!!Keith and Bridie Martin adopted Bluebelle a few days ago who is a fabulous girl and they are totally smitten with her. Keith said “We are really happy with Bella, she is fitting in so well. Already learning her name and what we want her to do and it’s only been a little while.”

An amazing total of

£2328.70 raised at the Homer Quiz!!!

Our second Quiz Night held on the 1st October was another huge success. We had been a little worried when ticket sales were slow leading up to the event but we shouldn’t have worried! On the day we had to turn a team away as we were sold out. Everyone turned up and the hall was heaving with over a 100 people. A great night was had by all with a local quiz team winning Stargazers. Better than that when the raffle was held and all proceeds counted we had raised an amazing £2328.70 for the greyhounds as well as having a lovely night.

Thank you to Clive and Kathy Taylor for their generous donation and also to Kevin Lambert for his, they are both much appreciated. Another thank you to everyone who came along and contributed, all raffle prizes were donated and made a fantastic draw.

Meet the committee 6

Sally Baalham

As a family we have had greyhounds for fifteen years and currently have Smokie and Lily, once we had our first one Alice there was no turning back. I adore their

chilled nature and gentle affection and they have all fitted into our lives as if they have always been there. Our second and third greyhounds Blue and Belle really started us on this track of homing greyhounds.

I became involved with homing greyhounds back in 2004 with a simple homecheck. Since then things have escalated somewhat where I am now Secretary for Greyhound Homer and also update the website, attend shows, meet people at kennels, liaise with Head Office and much more. I love attending the walks and events where we can meet up with our owners and catch up on how their greyhounds are doing. We have made some lovely friends along the way too.

You could say I am slightly addicted to greyhounds and you wouldn’t be far wrong!

Sally

(in top photo, Chrissy Balchin – Treasurer, Bridie Martin, Sally Baalham – Secretary, Keith Martin and Bluebelle)

We have a plethora of black hounds

waiting to find their forever homes at the

moment.

These black beauties range from 2 to 8

years old and there is one in there to suit every home and sofa!

There is a sprinkling of other colours too!!

PedroCassieJimTedTom

JimmyCarlosBob

Bob MarleyEddieJackRogerMacPeteSean

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